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“Everything’s a mess.” The words burst out of me before a lump in my throat forces my voice to a whisper. “All I wanted was a fresh start for me and for Jake.” I’m so confused, so unsure. Part of me seems to be calling out for Sam, but another part of me wants to hate him. But he seems like a good man dealt a bad hand…a bad hand that I’m part of in the worst ways. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
Marissa stares at me for a moment. “Why are you being so emotional about this? He’s the bad guy, Chloe. Whether he’s your foster brother or not, he deserves everything he’s getting. You know that, right?”
I shake my head. I’m not so sure he’s the bad guy anymore. Honestly, I’m starting to think the villain is the one sitting beside me right now. I made a deal with the devil herself, and I’m not sure there’s a graceful way out of this anymore.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” I mumble.
I had things planned out and it wasn’t supposed to go like this.
Her eyes narrow again. “What wasn’t supposed to happen?” I don’t answer, but the glimmer of amusement in her eyes tells me she’s figured me out. “Do you think you’re in love with my husband?” Her harsh laugh grates on me and I want to slap her even as I hear how foolish I sound. “Oh my. You poor, hopeless little girl. Do you really think he loves you back?”
She’s laughing harder now, like this is the funniest joke she’s ever been told, and I shift away from her and take a sip of my coffee, just to cover my embarrassment. Is it that ridiculous that I might be falling for Sam? Or that he might be falling in love with me? I know it’s impossible for us to be together—even if I wasn’t his student, I’m responsible for ruining his life. He’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done, for my part in all of this.
I wish I could take it all back.
“I need to think,” I murmur, my thoughts all muddled up.
I have to be careful. Marissa is dangerous. Crazy, even.
She laughs again. “You have tothinkabout it? Think about what?”
“All of this.” I nod, looking into the hole in the lid of my coffee cup to the frothy liquid inside. Around us, the world moves on as if unaware that I feel like my life is on the verge of a breakdown. “And I need to talk to Jake.”
At the mention of my brother’s name, her whole demeanour changes. I can feel her anger building and brace against what’s going to happen next as my hope of getting away crumbles to dust.
“There’s no way you killed your foster father alone, Chloe.” Her nasty tone is empty of the humour she’d expressed seconds ago and a chill traces up my spine. “Jake was there too, remember? He’s the one who really killed Victor and you took the blame. Jake caught Victor raping you and he killed him for it.”
Her words hit me like a mean right hook, and I flinch.
“No. That’s not what happened.”
“It’s exactly what happened,” Marissa fires back. “You help me, and I’ll help you, just like I promised.” There’s an odd note in her voice, one I can’t quite place. Everything about this meeting feels wrong and I want to escape. I want to escape all of it, this moment, her plan, my part in it, everything.
“And if I don’t do what you want me to do?” I ask, choked up as tears threaten again.
I’m playing with fire, and I’m going to get burned. Something in me knows Marissa is dangerous—I always did. Staying on her good side has been the name of the game, until now.
She sighs, looks off into space, beyond the people going about their days and the cars driving past belching out exhaust fumes on their daily commutes to jobs they hate in their boring lives. I don’t ever want to be like them. I want to make something of myself, find an existence I love. And this whole thing started as a way for me to start over with my brother. Damn, that dream seems out of reach now.
“If you don’t do what weagreed, then I’ll see to it that your brother is charged with Victor’s murder and tried as an adult.” Her serious tone has the hairs on the back of my neck standing like cactus spines. “He’ll be thrown in prison. Forlife. And you and I both know he won’t survive in there.” With a cruel smirk, she leans in. “A life sentence would be very short for Jake, wouldn’t it?”
It kills me that she’s right, and she knows it. Jake won’t last a week in prison. My brother in a box? No, that won’t work at all. I know that with my whole heart. I don’t want to hurt Sam, but how can I fight someone with all the answers? The simple answer is I can’t.
“Is that what you want, Chloe?” Marissa taunts. “Do you want Jake to die?”
She’s staring at me now, her gaze as hot as a spotlight. My stomach shifts as anxiety churns inside it. What a stupid question. Of course I don’t want my brother to die. I don’t want him locked up either, but I don’t want to be part of this anymore. I’m torn between loving my brother, wanting to do what’s best for myself, and falling for Sam.
This isn’t right.
None of this is right. Sam deserves better, and so do I.
Feeling like a cornered animal, I struggle against this strangling situation as Marissa watches me, like an animal stalking her prey. I swear there’s some sickening sense of satisfaction in her eyes, watching me squirm like this. But no one can be that heartless, can they?
Except she can.
Marissa might be that heartless. As she watches me, I come to a realization.
I have no choice.
